“Distressed Mom” American Passenger Retains United 3411 Lawyer
Joe Cortez April 24, 2017
Thomas Demetrio to represent flyer dragged off aircraft and mother levying assault allegations on American
The lawyer representing the man dragged off United Flight 3411 will also represent a mother who accused an American Airlines flight attendant of ripping her stroller out of her hands, hitting her and narrowly missing her child. NBC News reports attorney Thomas Demetrio has been retained to represent the mother caught on camera in an altercation with flight attendants.
The viral video was posted to Facebook on Friday, April 21, by another passenger aboard American Airlines Flight 591, departing San Francisco International Airport (SFO) for Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW). The video does not show the flight attendant physically removing the stroller from the woman, but does show the woman distraught and crying, as she speaks with a pilot and another flight attendant. The argument ultimately spills into the aisleway in a faceoff between another passenger and an American employee.
“We’ve got a flight attendant out of control, we’ve got a distressed mother,” Demetrio told The Today Show. “This is a real, real problem and the mother told me point blank her concern was her child, who almost got hit by the stroller.”
Demetrio is also representing Dr. David Dao, the passenger who was physically removed off UA3411, as depicted by videos posted by passengers. Although neither passenger has officially announced legal action against either airline, the attorney noted to NBC News that United could face a lawsuit over their treatment of Dao.
In a statement released by American, the carrier acknowledged that the flight attendant caught arguing with the male passenger would be “removed from duty,” pending an investigation. American also announced that the woman and her family were upgraded to first class for the remainder of their trip.
“What we see on this video does not reflect our values or how we care for our customers,” the statement reads. “We are deeply sorry for the pain we have caused this passenger and her family and to any other customers affected by the incident.”
[Photo: Shutterstock]
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getawaygirl, the puffy chest f/a was a AA flight attd not UA. since when do these idiots think they can bring a STROLLER on board the plane? did she really think she could stow it onboard?
AA gave her a full $ refund (x3), extra miles, and the upgrade to F-Class DFW to Argentina. She's making out like a bandit so far and she didn't even have to say thank you.
All the AA employees getting in their two cents here? People bashing this woman are just ignorant and need a reality check. She may have had a small stroller, she may have had a huge stroller. What difference does it make? She got clocked in the head. She didn't deserve that regardless of how big or small her stroller was. If an injured mother crying fills you with such contempt then you got problems.
I faced extreme homophobia and transphobia from Lufthansa FAs... nothing I've ever experienced, at least not blatantly, on any other airline.
Notice that all videos are right when the "incident" occurs and nothing on the pre-incident context. Sensationalism at its best. There was a post by someone who was in the plane saying the lady brought an oversized stroller onboard and refused to check it even though it has been pink tagged at gate.